


The Cheater

by obs3ss1ons



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:42:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27687782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obs3ss1ons/pseuds/obs3ss1ons
Summary: Yet another fun way for Travis to find out about Vicley.
Relationships: Victoria Hughes & Travis Montgomery, Victoria Hughes/Lucas Ripley
Comments: 21
Kudos: 56





	The Cheater

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in Season 2 sometime between Friendsgiving and Christmas.

Travis whistled as he made his way down the hallway toward Vic’s apartment. They had plans to do some Christmas shopping together that day, but she was running late. He didn’t mind. A perk of being her best friend was that he could comfortably wait in her apartment while she raced around to get ready.

He gripped the doorknob just as the next door over opened. Vic’s neighbor poked her head out, and Travis offered a cheery, “Hey, Ms. Clarke. You doing okay this morning?”

“Better than the last time,” she replied, stepping out into the hall. She crossed her arms over her chest and indicated Vic’s door with her chin. “You know, you’re a good man. She doesn’t deserve you.”

Travis lowered his hand back to his side and faced the elderly woman. “Excuse me?”

She stepped forward and whispered, “I like you, so I’m saying this to protect you. She’s had another man coming around lately. Staying all night, sneaking out in the mornings. They ain’t related, if you know what I mean.”

He didn’t, so he asked, “What are you talking about? Vic is seeing someone?”

Ms. Clarke nodded and looked around as if doing something she shouldn’t. “She sure is. Someone besides you. He dashed out of here just a few minutes before you showed up.”

That was interesting. It was a running joke that Vic’s neighbor thought the two of them were dating. The idea was so hilarious neither ever bothered to correct her. Travis never thought it would come in handy when his best friend started seeing someone and didn’t tell him.

“So, what are you going to do about it? A nice young man like you deserves better than a cheating girlfriend,” Ms. Clarke declared.

Travis fought to keep a grin off his lips as he told her, “I’m not sure. I need to talk to Vic before I make any decisions.”

She huffed. “You must really love her if you’re giving her a second chance.”

He let his smile break through. “Of course I do. She’s my best friend.”

Ms. Clarke turned and walked back to her own apartment, mumbling something about the younger generation not respecting monogamy. Travis shook his head in amusement and opened Vic’s door. She stepped out of the kitchen and greeted him with, “Hey, Trav. Who were you talking to out there?”

An idea popped into his mind, and Travis lied, “Your new boyfriend.”

Vic froze mid-stride. She spun around and stared at him with wide eyes. “What are you talking about?”

He shrugged nonchalantly and continued to tease, “I met him just outside your door. We had a great little chat.”

“No,” Vic murmured, shaking her head over and over. She wrapped her arms around herself as her eyes watered. Travis instantly went into comfort mode and moved toward her. Before he could touch her, though, Vic demanded softly, “You can’t tell anyone. No one else can find out.”

“Vic, calm down. I was only teasing you. I was talking to Ms. Clarke,” he clarified. “She mentioned a new guy coming over here a lot and that he left right before I showed up.”

Vic sniffed. “So, you didn’t see him?”

“I wouldn’t know him if I did.”

“Uh, yeah. That’s-that's right,” Vic stumbled out, wiping at her eyes. She turned away from him and headed toward the bedroom.

Travis followed, his curiosity peaked. “You know you’re a terrible liar. Who is he? Would I know him if I saw him sneaking out of here?”

She kept her back to him as she stooped to pick up a pair of shoes. Then she sat on the bed to slide them on, still avoiding looking at him. Travis wracked his brain for anyone he could think of that Vic would secretly date. She’d said no one could know. But who was included in that? Clearly people they both knew if she worried about him telling them. That meant…

“Is it someone we work with?” he questioned. Vic hesitated in her movements for a split second. Just long enough to answer him without speaking. If she didn’t want to talk, then he’d just start guessing. “Is it Jack?”

She glared at him. “Seriously?”

“What? Andy dated him.”

“Exactly.”

So not Jack. “Dean?”

“Eww. No.”

Travis had to laugh at her reaction to that. Definitely not Dean. He ran through their teammates and said, “Warren is married, though separated. Could that be why no one can know?”

Vic shook her head. She leaned back on her hands and calmly told him, “It’s not the rookie. He is still totally in love with his wife.”

“Okay,” Travis agreed. He hadn’t really expected it to be Ben anyway. So that ruled out the men on their team. He placed his hands on his hips and demanded, “It’s not Andy or Maya, is it? Did you switch over on me?”

Vic actually laughed. “No. I still prefer someone who doesn’t have boobs.”

“Good to know,” Travis responded. Yet again he went over everyone at the station, everyone they both knew. Another possibility arose, and he pleaded, “Please tell me it’s not Sullivan.”

“He’s our boss,” she pointed out.

“Which gives you a reason to not want anyone to know,” he refuted. Vic shifted and lowered her head. She was avoiding him again. He felt a knot form in his stomach. “Is it Sullivan?”

Vic sighed, hesitated a few seconds, and finally looked at him again. “It’s not Sullivan.”

“But we work with him, right? I mean, you indicated that I know him.”

She nodded once and informed him, “We do work with him.”

“Well we’ve gone through everyone at the station, so is it someone from another station?” he pressed.

“Sort of.”

“Sort of? What does that mean?”

Vic stood and opened her mouth. Before she could speak, however, they both heard a noise from the front room. It sounded like the door opening and closing. Then footsteps came closer to the bedroom. Travis’s brain short circuited when a very familiar man appeared in the doorway. He squeaked out, “Chief?”

Chief Ripley's eyes widened as his gaze darted between Travis and Vic. He finally stopped on Vic and asked, “What’s going on here? I thought you had plans.”

“Travis was just guessing who my neighbor saw sneaking out of my apartment this morning,” Vic explained.

“Oh,” Ripley responded. He entered the room and walked to Vic’s dresser, picking something up. “I forgot my wallet. I thought you’d already be gone.”

“Wait a minute,” Travis finally spoke up even as he cautiously moved to the bed and sat down. “This is who Ms. Clarke accused you of cheating on me with? The Fire Chief?”

Ripley held out a hand, pointing a finger at Travis, but looked to Vic and asked, “What is he talking about?”

Vic rolled her eyes and informed Ripley, “Ms. Clarke is my nosy neighbor who is convinced Travis and I are dating. She told him about you this morning. Hence us still being here no longer playing a guessing game.”

“So much makes sense now,” Travis blurted.

“Like what?” Vic asked.

Travis listed, “You being able to keep a secret. Not telling me that you’re even seeing someone. Being so busy lately that we don’t get to hang out as much as we used to.” He thought over the last few weeks and added, “The Chief visiting our station more often.”

“This relationship has no effect on my job,” Ripley quickly defended.

“I’m not saying it does, Sir,” Travis cleared up. “But you have been there more than normal lately.”

“It’s all been work-related,” Ripley claimed. Travis just raised an eyebrow. He didn’t care if the Seattle Fire Chief dropped by their station every shift. He liked the guy. Respected him. And if he made up excuses to visit Vic at work, then it meant he cared about her. Unless he was stalking her, but from the way his best friend was currently staring at their boss, Travis didn’t think that was the case.

Vic stepped closer to Ripley and said quietly, “Travis, you seriously can’t tell anybody.”

He smiled and assured her, “Oh, I never planned to spill your secret. At least I understand why now.”

Ripley cleared his throat and inquired, “Are you okay with this? I know it could get us all in a lot of trouble. But Vic and I have something special. I don’t break the rules for just anybody.”

Travis chuckled. “Vic is not just anybody. I can tell it’s real. Vic is a strong, independent woman. Nobody is going to force her into anything.”

“So, you’re good with it?” Vic asked.

“Oh, yeah. I’m totally okay with it,” Travis stated. He stood and added, “So, Chief, would you like to join us on our shopping spree?”

Ripley looked at Vic as he said, “I’d love to, but I have meetings all day.” He faced Travis and told him, “Maybe next time.”

Travis nodded. Vic announced that she was ready to go, so the three of them left the apartment together. Just as they reached the end of the hall, Travis heard a door open and Ms. Clarke’s voice mumble, “Crazy kids. Can’t even be satisfied by one person anymore.”

He glanced over his shoulder and offered the woman a brief yet bright grin. Then he looped his arm through Vic’s arm not already locked with Ripley's. It wasn’t how he expected his day with Vic to start, but at least they’d have plenty to talk about while they searched for the perfect gifts. Starting with how she managed to get the by-the-book Fire Chief to break the rules of the Seattle Fire Department.


End file.
